Past simple - verb 'to be'

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Past simple - verb 'to be'

Do you want to practise using the past simple of the verb 'to be' in English? Play our grammar games and have fun while you learn.

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Grammar Rule

Examples

I was at my Gran's house yesterday.
You were late for school this morning.
She was with her friends last Saturday.
We were tired yesterday.

Remember!

I was
you were
She was
He was
It was
We were
They were

Be careful!

For negatives add 'n't' or ‘not’.I wasn’t late for school this morning.
I was not late for school this morning.
She wasn’t with her friends last Saturday.
She was not with her friends last Saturday.
We weren’t tired yesterday.
We were not tired yesterday.

We say... We don’t say...

Were you late for school today? Yes, I was. (NOT You were late for school today? Yes I was.)
Was she with her friends last Saturday? No, she wasn’t. (NOT She was with her friends last Saturday? No, she wasn’t.)
Was he tired yesterday? Yes, he was. (NOT He was tired yesterday? Yes, he was.)
(For a normal question we use was + pronoun. To show surprise you can use pronoun + was.)